A rare and unique silver salver presented to Billy Wright to mark 100 International appearances

A rare and unique silver and enamel salver presented to Billy Wright CBE on becoming the first-ever footballer to make 100 International appearances Robert Pringle & Sons, London 1927, with raised pie crust border, decorated with twenty-eight enamel country flags representing the countries Billy Wright played against, the centre with large enamel three lion badge and inscribed THE COUNCIL OF THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION TO WILLIAM AMBROSE WRIGHT, 1946-1959. TO COMMEMORATE HIS RECORD OF ONE HUNDRED APPEARANCES IN INTERNATIONAL MATCH FOR ENGLAND in original fitted case The following Lots 688 to 693 relates to the career of England and Wolves legend Billy Wright CBE Billy Wright CBE Truly one of the "All-Time Greats" William Ambrose Wright was a model professional and ambassador for the game. He was without doubt an inspiring captain for Wolverhampton Wanderers and England in the late 1940s and 1950s another mark of his greatness was the fact that he was never sent -off or even cautioned. Billy Wright was born on 6th February 1924 and joined Wolves ground staff straight from school, turning professional in 1941. In the war years he made guest playing appearances for Leicester City and as a corporal in the Shropshire Light Infantry he made his first appearance for England in the unofficial "Victory" match against Belgium on 19th January 1946, he played a further two "Victory" Internationals matches before making his first full International against Northern Ireland played on 28th September 1946 at Windsor Park, Belfast, with England defeating Northern Ireland 7-2. Just a year later after a full season in League football Wolves manager Ted Vizard made him club captain and one year on from that at 24, England manager Walter Winterbottom made his captain of the International side. Wright made 59 appearances for England at wing-half before being moved to centre-half during the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland and this move has been widely accepted as prolonging an already exceptional career. Settling into the new position was comfortable for Wright and he was able to display his defensive capabilities to their best advantage. At this stage in his domestic career he had already captained Wolves to their 1948-49 F.A.Cup victory and later in 1953-54 to the club's first-ever League Championship. He was awarded the Footballer of the Year in 1952 and arguably should have had two more awards for the 1958 and 1959 League Championship-winning season. His International career spanned almost 13 years and made his final appearance for his country in a 8-1 victory against the USA played 28th May 1959. He is unique as he was the first-ever player to make 100 appearances at International level and that milestone was reach in the match against Scotland played on 11th April 1959 and this  wonderful salver was presented to him for this, then unique achievement. His last 70 appearances were consecutive a then record (until bettered by legendary Spanish goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta) and all were as captain, another record. After playing in excess of 500 matches for Wolves he retired from playing in August 1959 and became manager/coach of England's Youth team in October 1960 and finally managing his boyhood club Arsenal until 1966